


bring the year in right

by lynne_monstr



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Magical Theory, Magnus gets his magic back, New Year's Eve, i can write all the sappy fic i want on new years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-01 20:35:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17250983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynne_monstr/pseuds/lynne_monstr
Summary: Magnus tells Alec about a particular warlock ritual around the New Year."I'm no longer a warlock."“No. You’re something extraordinary. You’re Magnus Bane.”





	bring the year in right

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone on tumblr is writing New Years fic, so I figured I'd give it a shot too!

The Brooklyn Bridge fireworks weren’t scheduled to start until midnight, but even from their top floor balcony, Alec could already hear the occasional pop and crackle of local store-bought ones as they were set off on the neighborhood streets.

Once the latest volley fell silent, he wasted no time jumping back into his discussion with Magnus. “How can the New Year be some kind of magical conduit? It’s an arbitrary holiday. There’s nothing magical about a calendar change.”

Magnus shifted backwards in his arms, pressing his back further into Alec’s chest. It was a chilly night, though not as cold as years past. A misty sort of rain fogged the champagne glasses in their hands.

Between his light coat and Magnus’ warmth, Alec barely felt the bite of the weather. Magnus had given him an apologetic shrug when they’d first left the warmth of the living room for the outdoors, a soft-spoken explanation of how, _Normally I’d cast a warming spell but—_ before he had cut himself off, eyes downcast as he wiggled empty fingers. The dark purple polish was already chipped, despite Magnus painting them earlier that morning.

It was at that point Alec pulled him into his arms, determined to help him forget.

But it seemed all Magnus wanted to talk about was magic. Alec let him, content to hear him reminisce. At least he was talking about it, rather than the false cheer he put on those first few weeks when he was determined to pretend everything was fine.

Eventually they had gotten on the topic of the New Year itself, and the supposed magic it was imbued with.

“You’re perfectly right, Alec, there’s nothing special about the date itself. But just think, all across the world, people are gathered together and celebrating. Reflecting on their lives but also looking forward. Hopes. Dreams. Kisses.” At that, Magnus curved his body towards Alec to place a soft peck on the line of his jaw.

Alec couldn’t help himself, he cupped Magnus’ face with the hand not holding his drink, needing to keep him there a moment longer. The stubble of his goatee scratched at Alec’s cheek and he closed his eyes, letting the feel and the smell of the man he loved sink deep beneath his skin.

“There’s a kind of magic in that,” Magnus continued, the tones of his voice pleasant in Alec's ear. “So many people all bent towards the same purpose, spread out across an entire day. That kind of shared hope is powerful. Any warlock worth his salt takes the time to harvest that energy. Or to make a wish.”

The words were whispered like a secret. And maybe it was. It pulled a smile to Alec’s face, the thought of Magnus sharing age old warlock secrets with him like a couple of conspirators. The two of them against the world.

Then the words caught up to him. “Make a wish?” he said. “Like with Raziel?”

Magnus must have felt him tense at that, because he pulled back to pat Alec on the cheek before turning back towards the skyline and settling in Alec’s arms.

“No. Not like that. The wishes are tiny things. A little bit of luck in the coming year. Finding a rare ingredient. Small spells of protection for loved ones. There’s so much hope and anticipation in the air on this night, and some of it spills over." Magnus' free hand gestured as he spoke, some of his old excitement coming back. "A warlock can harvest the excess energy for a small power boost later or try their chances on a wish. Most of the wishes are small but there’s an old myth that says every so often something extraordinary happens.” He laughed. “The Powerball of warlock magic, so to speak.”

Alec let his chin rest on Magnus’ shoulder as he considered it. “It sounds nice.”  He hesitated a moment before asking. “I take it that harvesting the energy is out. But you can still make a wish.”

Magnus stilled, grasping his hand and twining their fingers together over his stomach. “I’m no longer a warlock.” he said, and Alec didn’t need to see his face to know what the words cost him.

Pulling back just slightly, Alec placed a kiss to the back of his neck. He let his lips linger at the shorn hair there as he spoke. “No. You’re something extraordinary. You’re Magnus Bane.”

The words hung in the air.

Every line of muscle was tense where Magnus pressed against him. After a beat, he let out a breath, turning in Alec’s arms so they were face to face. Magnus’ eyes shone brighter than any jewel as he locked their gazes together. There was a familiar determination there, and Alec’s heart sang at seeing it again.

“I’m Magnus Bane.”

“Yeah. Always. No matter what.”

Magnus drained the last of his champagne, tossing the empty glass over his shoulder. It shattered against the floor with a high tinkling sound.

A bark of laughter escaped Alec’s throat. “You’re cleaning that up, later,” he said.

Magnus only laughed. “Later,” he agreed, and pulled Alec in for a kiss.

He tasted like champagne and a hint of cranberry lip balm. Alec eagerly parted his lips, needing more of the taste of him. His own glass cracked in his hands, spilling bubbly liquid over his fingers. He hardly cared. They’d clean up later.

The heat of the kiss eventually faded into laughter whispered against each other’s lips, foreheads pressed together as they breathed in tandem. Alec’s lips still tingled as, in the distance, the first fireworks bloomed bright over the East River, painting the sky in streaks of fiery red and gossamer blue.

Magnus’ smile outshone them all.

“First I have a wish to make.”

.

Waking up on New Years Day, Magnus felt content in a way he hadn’t in months. Alec was a warm weight on his chest, the buzzing of his little snores humming beneath Magnus’ skin.

Wait.

Alec’s snores didn’t pulse through his veins like that, didn’t sooth him from the inside and fill his head with the comforting presence of—

“Magic.”

His voice was hoarse but it was enough to wake Alec.

Sleepy eyes blinked several times and focused on him. Alec was always adorable in the mornings, the way he roused himself from sleep as if the sun was a personal affront to his lifestyle. Today was no exception, his eyes lidded and tired, and was that look also a little hopeful?

Magnus swallowed, barely daring to test his theory. But impatience was always once of his vices and so before he could regret it, he gestured with the arm not trapped beneath Alec’s body.

His heart fell into his feet when he felt nothing.

And then a rush of power hit him all at once. It would have knocked him flat on his back if he wasn’t already lying down and wouldn’t that be embarrassing for a warlock of his age.

A warlock.

Because in his hand was a single red rose.

He stared. “This isn’t what I wished for,” he whispered, not knowing what else to say.

Alec only looked at him, shaking his head. He took the rose from Magnus’ hand, smelling it the way he did whenever Magnus brought him flowers from the farmer’s market. His eyes were softer than Magnus had ever seen them.

“It’s what I wished for.”

“Oh, Alexander.” Magnus’ eyes stung and for the first time in a long time it wasn’t from pain or loss. He didn’t try to hide the tears, he never wanted to hide from Alec. Alec, who had somehow managed to do the impossible, and to do it for Magnus.

He tugged on Alec’s hand until he was straddling Magnus’ hips, and pulled him down for a kiss. It was like kissing him again for the first time, his magic back at his fingers and Alec surrounding him and anchoring him.

Magnus could live in this moment forever and it wouldn’t be long enough.

Later, Alec would ask him what it was he wished for, if not his magic, and whether it too was granted. And Magnus would show him the ancient spellbook thought lost when the Library of Alexandria burned—the one that had mysteriously appeared on Magnus’ drinks cart— and ask him how he felt about immortality.

_I wished to spend the rest of my life with you._

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on tumblr!  
> lynne-monstr.tumblr.com

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Blood Calls to Blood](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19988377) by [AtowncalledMalec](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtowncalledMalec/pseuds/AtowncalledMalec)




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